Federal Housing Administration loans are intended for owner-occupiers only. The FHA will not insure a loan if you are purchasing the property specifically to rent it out. To establish occupancy, you must live in the property for at least one year. After the initial occupancy period has expired, you should be able to rent out your home.

Primary Residence Restriction

When you close on your FHA loan you must sign a statement indicating you will occupy the home as your principal residence within 60 days after closing. If you don't occupy the home within that period, are violating your signed statement. This could lead to civil and possibly criminal penalties under the federal Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act.

One Year Occupancy Requirement

To meet the owner occupancy rules, the FHA requires that you live in the property as your primary residence for at least 12 months after the loan closes. The Department of Housing and Urban Development has been known to spot check FHA borrowers to make sure that they are observing the occupancy rule. After the 12 months is up, you can rent out the property with the FHA's consent.

No Restrictions on Rental Payments

The FHA does not levy any specific restrictions or requirements for how to rent the home after one year. For example, the FHA does not require that the rent you charge equal or exceed the mortgage payment, so theoretically you could rent the house for a loss each month if you wanted to. But you still must make monthly FHA mortgage payments. You don't have any defense by claiming the renter is late on rent payments.

Buying Another Home

The FHA will allow you to obtain a second FHA home under certain circumstances, such as if you have to move for work or your family outgrows your current FHA home. But to qualify for a new FHA loan you can only use the rental income on your old FHA home if you have at least 25 percent equity in the home. This could affect your decision whether to rent your old FHA home or sell it so that you can qualify for a new FHA loan.

About the Author

The Constitution Guru has worked as a writer and editor for "BYU Law Review" and "BYU Journal of Public Law." He is an experienced attorney with a law degree and a B.A. degree in history with an emphasis on U.S. Constitutional history, both earned at Brigham Young University.